Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

He had taken some abuse at the hands of the Corinthian church which was the reason for Paul’s admonition to them to treat him kindly

But here Paul is commending him to the Philippian church

Unlike the Christological passage which we looked at last time I was with you where Paul held up Christ as an unattainable example

Timothy is held up for us as one who we can aspire to emulate

Just as Paul implores the Corinthians, we can look at Timothy as one who had imitated Paul in every way

1 Corinthians 4:16 ESV

I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

So what are the characteristics of a Gospel-centered man?

Tonight we’re going to see that a Gospel-centered life has three characteristics -

submissiveness (not popular trait when it comes to manhood), Philippians 2:19

compassion , Philippians 2:20-21

and loyalty, Philippians 2:22

Read Philippians 2:19-24

Pray

Gospel-Centered Submissiveness

Philippians 2:19; 2 Corinthians 4:8-10; Hebrews 13:23

Philippians 2:19 ESV

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

Paul’s introduction to the book of Philippians lists both himself and Timothy as doulos - slaves of Christ Jesus

Scottish pastor Alexander Maclaren once said

“The true position, then, for a man is to be God’s slave” ~ Alexander Maclaren

Absolute submission, unconditional obedience, on the slave’s part; and on the part of the Master complete ownership, the right of life and death, the right of disposing of all goods and chattels

the right of issuing commandments without reason, the right to expect that those commandments shall be swiftly, unhesitatingly, punctiliously, and completely performed

these thing inhere in our relation to God. Blessed is the man who has learned that they do and has accepted them as his highest glory and the security of his most blessed life!

For brethren, such submission, absolute and unconditional, the blending and absorption of my own will in His will, is the secret of all that makes manhood glorious and great and happy.

In the New Testament these names of slave and owner are transferred to Christians and Jesus Christ

Paul demonstrates his submission to Christ as he says that he “hopes in the Lord Jesus” to send Timothy to them soon

Timothy had subordinated his desires and will for his own life to Christ’s direction

He was a young teenager when he was selected by Paul to join him on his 2nd missionary journey

He had to leave home - his mother and grandmother

He was subjected to the same deprivations that Paul faced

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 ESV

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

He was eventually imprisoned for his participation in the Gospel

Hebrews 13:23 ESV

You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.

William Borden

Heir to the Borden family fortune

Graduated high school in 1904 - received a trip around the world

His heart was burdened for the hurting people of the world

He returned home determined to become a missionary

One friend said he was wasting his life as a missionary. Borden wrote in the back of his Bible “No reserves”

Borden attended Yale University - while he was there he was distressed by the flagging spiritual condition of the student body. He wrote in his journal “Say no to self and yes to Jesus every time”

He started a prayer and Bible study ministry that ended up involving 1000 of 1300 students by his senior year

He moved on to Princeton Seminary turning down several high paying job offers - he added two more words in his Bible - no retreats

Upon graduation from Princeton Seminary he boarded a boat to travel to Egypt for language training before going to China to work with a Muslim population there

While in Egypt he contracted spinal meningitis and within a month was dead

Prior to his death he added two more words - no regrets

Just like Timothy, Bill Borden was submissive to His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The first and most important characteristic of a Gospel-centered man is submission to Christ.

Gospel-Centered Compassion

For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Paul is saying that he has no one who is as like minded with himself as Timothy is

Several times in this section of the letter Paul has admonished the Philippians to be of one mind

Philippians 1:27 ESV

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Philippians 2:2 ESV

complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Now he holds Timothy up as an example of what that “one mindedness” looks like

Timothy had spent a decade serving with Paul and learning from him - the greatest compliment to a teacher is when the student becomes like him.

The word Paul uses for concern here is the same word used for anxiety elsewhere in the book

Philippians 4:6 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

but in Timothy’s case this is a positive attribute as he is genuinely concerned about the welfare of this church

Timothy is again emulating his mentor

2 Corinthians 11:28 ESV

And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

Compassion/genuine concern is a trait that is sadly lacking in our society

We have lost the ability to see other people

A major contributor of this is the smart phone

We can now create our own little narcissistic universe into which we can retreat at any moment - and anything is available at the mere push of a button or request from Siri

The inclusion of the smart phone would significantly change the story of the Good Samaritan

Instead of being worried about their ritual purity the Priest and Levite would be worried about how many likes their Facebook and Instagram posts received

A Gospel-centered life has no room for narcissism.

Philippians 2:4 ESV

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Timothy was genuinely concerned for the welfare of the Philippians - willing to undertake a journey to Philippi at the behest of Paul to check on the church

This stands in stark contrast to the condition of some of the church in Rome at the time

Paul is likely making another reference to the group of preachers who were preaching the Gospel out of envy and strife

He has used them indirectly as examples for the Philippians frequently throughout this section

Make my joy complete - I am not discouraged by these men but I have been discouraged by you

do nothing out of selfish ambition - unlike these preachers who are preaching Christ out of selfish ambition

Now he points to them explicitly

It has always been interesting to me the way the verse breakouts fell

Philippians 1:21 ESV

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Paul demonstrates his complete selflessness in Philippians 1:21 saying that for him life is centered on Christ

Philippians 2:21 ESV

For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

And here they are all focused on their own interests.

It is a remarkable contrast on the difference of perspectives between someone who is completely submitted to the Gospel and those who are still seeking their own self-promotion

But Paul holds up Timothy as an example of one who is not seeking his own interests but instead those of Christ’s.

Gospel-Centered Loyalty

Philippians 2:22

Philippians 2:22 ESV

But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

Timothy has been proven by fire

remained behind in Thessalonica when Paul was forced to leave the city

He is one of those who has spoken Christ with Paul

As I mentioned in the introduction Timothy was often Paul’s “fixer” who he would entrust with the mission of checking up on a church to see where they were and to deliver the appropriate message to that church and then report back to Paul.

Timothy has proven his worth through his service to the furtherance of the Gospel.

Much like Paul commends the Philippians for their fellowship (koinonia) with him in the Gospel in

Philippians 1:5 ESV

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Timothy has served faithfully with Paul - even when others have deserted him

Timothy presents a picture of a man completely sold out to the Gospel

He is submissive to the leadership of Christ.

He is compassionate and concerned for his fellow Christians.

He is loyal to the cause of the preaching of the Gospel.

Conclusion

Sometimes a message like this can seem like a drubbing - it is not intended to be so

These are all aspects of the Christian life - the Gospel-centered life - that we can all improve on

It is not well looked upon in our society for a man to be submissive or compassionate

Loyalty is okay as long as you are loyal to my cause - but if you’re loyal to a competing cause prepare to be vilified

This is an opportunity for us (just as it was for the Philippians) to hold up a model of what we should be living up to and measure ourselves against it

Where are you in living the Gospel-centered life?

Have you completely submitted yourself to the Lordship of Christ?

Are you cultivating compassion and concern for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ?

Are you loyal to the cause and preaching or sharing the Gospel? Are you partaking in the fellowship of getting the Word of Christ out into the world?